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The development of pure painting in the 18th century reached its zenith in Venice: the city became an artistic centre to which the leading artists of the period from all over Europe flocked. The starting point of the collection is Sebastiano Ricci’s depiction of the abduction of Deianeira which is still suffused with the power of the baroque, and Pellegrini’s delightfully sensuous Venus with Satyr, followed by smaller works from Tiepolo and Pittoni. These are surrounded by colourful “veduti” by Canaletto, Guardi and Bellotto, the latter of whom is represented with three of his rare views of Venice, Lombardy and Dresden, each of which fascinates with its cool rationality.